Hello, football season!

Here we are once again on the cusp of football season. 

Football season makes me giddy like a little schoolgirl. 

I love everything about it- tailgating, drinking, playing games, camaraderie, and I can't lie, the rivalry gets me going, too. 

The only thing that can weigh down my mood is not having a festive game day outfit.

The kicker is that my heart belongs to two teams

Growing up I was an avid Florida State fan due to my Father. We despised the Gators so not much has changed in that department. My love for the Seminoles eventually brought me to Tallahassee, as well as my best friend. 

A girl just can't live in that town very long. It's like being in love with a guy who lives somewhere that you could NEVER see yourself moving. You eventually have to part ways.

 I moved home to Orlando after 3 years in Tally and finished my degree at UCF. I'll also be attending this lovely establishment for my graduate school.

Orlando has my heart, so there should be room for UCF in it, too. 

I just haven't been able to mentally get into the games at UCF. Hopefully that will one day change. 

I'm pretty sure FSU will always be my team, regardless of my Alma Mater. 

I'll settle for pitchin' a tent out on Memory Mall and sippin' chuggin' beers with friends. Doesn't sound half bad, huh? 

My cousin is attending USF in the Fall. Family weekend happens to be against FSU so my entire family is going over there for the weekend to tailgate.

Most likely, I'll be attending the FSU vs. Boston game at Florida State on Oct. 13th in Tally. 

Not to mention, I'll hopefully be attending every UCF homegame minus a few weekends that I'm already booked. 

As you can see, outfits are needed.

 Still obsessing over this dress from last season that you can find over at Twelve Saturdays. They only have large left, bummer. Prime example of how you can miss out if you wait to long. 

All of these can be dressed up with belts, flowers and accessories. 

I'll post back when I find some cute stuff in person. Online shopping does me no good when I can't figure out what my size would be. 

What is your favorite game day go to?

Back to school ...?

One of the hardest decisions that I've had in the last few years is what I'm going through currently. I hate to bore everyone with the indecisiveness (again) but I feel like I just need some advice on what to do. 

There are so many positive's that can come from going to grad school, but there are always going to be cons. Unfortunately, the money is the biggest con for me. To put things in perspective, I already owe 20,000 in loans from my Bachelor's degree. In order to get my Graduate degree I would need another 13,000. That's 33,000 in student loans. I just don't know if I can stomach that. I'm currently paying $300 a month for 10 years. Yes, I did say 10!! I really don't know if I can afford more than a $300 payment for loans alone. I mean, home girls got other bills too!  

I'm trying not to be so negative but it really is such a tough decision to make. Anyone else had to make this decision? What did you choose?

I'm just at a loss.

Acceptance..

With the wedding, birthdays and everything else going on, I almost forgot to mention that I got incredible news last Friday. Something that I'm sincerely very proud of.. I was accepted into the grad program at the only school I applied to, UCF - my Alma Mater!

Check out this baby!

Truth be told, I kind of distanced myself from the whole idea of going back to school because in my heart of hearts I was certain that I wasn't going to get in. I couldn't stomach the rejection so I decided to just pretend that it was no longer one of my goals.

I'm so happy that I even took the chance by taking the GRE and applying. It's something I typically don't do because I have an unwavering fear of rejection. It's definitely something that I'm working on, but it doesn't go away overnight. 

Now it's time to start planning how to pay for it. Boy do I wish I could get a scholarship or  some kind of assistance that doesn't require me to take out more loans since I'll be paying off the ones I already have until 2021.. not exaggerating. 

Oh well, for now I'm just going to be proud. Proud that I tried, proud that I got in and proud that I'm accomplishing things that I always wanted to, yet never believed I could actually do. 

It's OK Thursday

Linking up with Amber and Neely for It's OK Thursday!

It's OK..

.. that today is only Thursday and not Friday. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll love ya tomorrow, it's only a DAY away :)

.. that I didn't use the recipe for the meal that I attempted last night. It still came out delish! FYI: I love pepper ;)

.. that I'm nervous about grad school. The entire process is stressing me out. I've sent out letter of recommendation requests and about to get started on my personal statement. It's all just a bit overwhelming, due to the fact that I know there is a huge chance for rejection. That just doesn't sit well with me :/

.. that my nails are chipping and I just painted them  yesterday. This is something that can definitely ruin my day. Sad but true.

{FYI: The ring I'm wearing is what my Papa gave my Mema on their 25th anniversary. She gave it to me a few years back :)}

Speaking of my Mema..

It's OK..

.. that my Mema had a second bypass surgery. The only reason why this is OK is because she is doing fabulous and is currently all settled in a rehab facility where she will continue to recover for a couple weeks. Last night was her first night there and they had an amazing looking buffet with wine and beer. We took advantage of the wine, of course ;)

.. that my friend from college is moving to Dallas this weekend. We are going to lunch today but that will be the last time I see her. We don't get to hang out all that often, but she became a close friend quickly. We're so alike it's scary. We have the same viewpoint on life and she just gets "it". If you know what "it" is then you get us, too ;) 

Note: Must book ticket to visit her soon.

.. that I haven't put up pictures for the last two weekends yet. I promise to do that very soon :)

.. that last night we went bowling with another couple and I had a jager shot. Who am I? I was at the bar waiting for a pitcher and these guys offered me a shot, I was like why not? I'm still young! ..then they ordered Jager, lol..  Oh well, I survived :) 

What's OK with you today? Come join us!

Lacking motivation

Great weekend in the books. Lots of pictures to come later from both last weekend and this weekend. Unfortunately, the laundry that I needed to get to last weekend is still not done. That makes 3 weeks since I've done laundry? WOW - I'm horrible.

More in the "I'm a slacker" department...

The GRE is today at 1:00. I'm taking a half day from work in order to take the test before the deadline to apply to grad school. Well it's official, I didn't study more than an hour for the entire test. I don't know the format, the time constraints, the formulas or anything. 

Last night I got an email from the grad department at UCF saying what I needed to shoot for and it's about 40 points higher than I originally thought, which is one of the main reasons I slacked off on studying. But, let's be serious, the real reason is that I just didn't want to. I lacked motivation and I'll have to pay the price. That doesn't mean I'm not going to try my hardest, but realistically it's near impossible. However, nothing is completely impossible so here goes nothing.

Friday Confessionals

Today I'm linking up with Leslie over at Blonde Ambition for some confessions.

1.) The GRE is less than 2-weeks away and I haven't gotten up to the courage to really study. I've looked over things here and there but I haven't sat down and truly tried to learn anything. Confession: I think I figured out why. Perhaps my huge fear of rejection is trying to trick me here. If I don't study and do terrible, I can blame it on something. If I study a ton and get a horrible score then I'll feel as though I failed. Although it's not a sports event, I should go by the quote "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game."

2.) I get extremely excited when I gamble. We are doing an office pool for The Grand National that takes place tomorrow. We each paid $2 and picked a horse out of the hat. I got #14 ShakaLakaBoomBoom. Could that be more awesome? I think not. Confession: Honestly, I don't get excited about the winnings, just winning in general. 

3.) I have what some people call an unhealthy obsession with my Nephew. Confession: I don't care if they think I'm psycho for wanting to hang out with him so often. There is nothing in the world that makes me happier. I try to see him at least once a day and if I don't, I swear I feel a bit off. He's just so dang cute. I mean, can you blame me?

4.) My taste buds have a mind of their own. Confession: I'm one of the pickiest eaters I know and I can't stand it. Cheese is one of my least favorite foods - always has been. Proof: Picture of what was left of the Mozzarella Sticks after I got a hold of them the other night at Chili's. 

5.) This week I started trying to eat better and I've done okay. Not great, but not terrible either (minus the hershey bar after lunch yesterday - oopsies!). We're going to lunch today at the place that I believe has the best Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and fries on the planet. Confession: If I step foot in that place, I will order it and eat every last bite.

6.) I don't have plans this weekend, but I have a few things in my head that I have to do to consider it a successful weekend. 

1. Hang out with my bestie, Landyn.

2. Study for the GRE

3. Complete some kind of DIY craft

4. Get some sunshine, preferably next to a pool, lake, etc..

5. RELAX :)

Confession: I have to do laundry too, but that's no fun so I'm not included it.

Thanks for stopping by! Anything you would like to confess? Join us here!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Join us over at Jamie's blog for What I'm Loving Wednesday! 

I'm loving that we are going to Olive Garden on our lunch break today. I've been craving their soup and breadsticks for far too long! 

This little treat looks tasty, too!

I'm loving that I'm going to St. Augustine this weekend to visit family and celebrate Easter there. 

I'm loving that I'm taking my GRE on April 26th. I know it sounds horrible but I'm pretty sure I'm going to do terrible. I started looking over some stuff and it's just not stuff that I feel like I'm going to be able to master in a few short weeks. To be honest, I know I'm not going to dedicate enough time as I should to it, but hopefully I surprise myself. I either get in or I don't. Not stressing.

I'm loving that I signed all my paperwork yesterday to make it official. 

I'm loving that this Friday will be my first paid holiday off at work :)

I'm loving that we have decided that we're going to New Orleans from June 1-4. May & June are going to be busy months for me - without a doubt!

I'm loving that with a few accessories these dresses could be adorbs!

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I'm loving this top that Emily Maynard is wearing for her promo photos. Let's face it, I'm loving e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g about Emily. Only a few more weeks until her premiere. She deserves happiness.

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Well that's what I'm loving this week. What are YOU loving?

What I'm Loving Wednesday

As always, linking up with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday. Head on over to her blog and join us :)

This week...

I'm loving that the time has come. Tomorrow at 12AM sharp I'll be sitting in a theater watching what I've waited so long for, THE HUNGER GAMES!

I'm loving that I'm finally feel back to normal after a weekend of up & downs. It took me awhile, but I'm happy to say that I've made a full recovery.

I'm loving that I'm currently drinking a yoo-hoo. My favorite pastime. 

I'm loving that I have officially decided to take the leap into a graduate program. I had been toying with the idea since before I got my Bachelor's. Little did I know, I wouldn't be able to shake the fact that I need my Master's. Not for a particular job, just for myself. My goal is to start in the fall. GRE - here I come! Any tips for taking it would be EXTREMELY helpful. I'm kind of lost with the whole thing right now, since it's only been a few days since I started looking into it. It has be taken, with an acceptable score, in 6 weeks. EEK!

I'm loving these cute outfits. Opposite ends of the spectrum but equally adorable!

Last but certainly not least, a case that touches my heart.

I'm loving how passionate people are getting about the Trayvon Martin case. George Zimmerman, the man who shot him said he looked 'suspicious.' Apparently you can be suspicious by just being a young black kid in a gated community. All Trayvon had on him was his cell phone, a bag of skittles and tea, yet was shot to death after Zimmerman chased him to figure out what he was doing in the neighborhood. Zimmerman chased him, not the other way around. THEN he claims self-defense after shooting the 17-year old to death. REALLY? Just disgusting.

Sometimes I'm sadden by what other civilians to do cause harm to innocent victims. Other times, I get really proud of what we as civilians will do  to ensure justice. This case is making headlines all around the nation and people are signing a petition to get the case looked at again, because it was clearly NOT self-defense. They have also staged candlelight vigils that were peaceful and without riot, just to get their point across. We are always focusing on the bad and sometimes it's hard to see the good in people. This case is bringing out the good in everyone.

Happy Hump Day :)

It's OK Thursday!

It's OK Thursday with Neely and Amber. If you want to join in on the fun,  head on over to their blogs and link up with us :)

It's OK...

.. that I was exhausted last night and only got about half way though my book club book. The way I see it, once I get home from work today I have two hours to finish the book and make it there.

.. that I was in no mood to do my hair this morning. Can you say air dry?

.. that today at Jimmy John's it's $1 sub day and I already know that no matter what time I go, there will be a line around the building. Waste my time to save some moolah or just eat something at the office? Let's be serious though, everything tastes better when it's free or cheaper than usual!

.. that I REALLY want all 4 of these Loren Hope necklaces

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.. that my company has a platform called Sponsored Tweets. It allows Advertisers to connect with different Tweeters that would like to advertise their product. In turn, those Tweeters get paid. It would be extremely helpful to help others with any questions they have if I could get in the system myself. Of course I have admin capabilities, but it would be nice to 'see what they see'. Problem is, you must have at least 50 followers on Twitter to be accepted into the program. I'm at 49 (pathetic, I know).. Any help would be greatly appreciated! If you'd like, you can follow me here :)

.. that my friend Steph is getting her boobs done in exactly 3 weeks and I'm extremely jealous! Shout out to you, my friend ;)

.. that I originally thought my student loan payment was $175/mo, then another company sent me something say I had to pay $50/mo. A few days ago, I found out that my payments were actually $300 a month, but since I paid last year before I was required too, they had been saving that money towards the payments for when I started. Sketch.

.. that I'm getting the itch to get my Masters again, yet don't want to even think about taking out a loan. Does anyone know of places that offer scholarships for a Masters degree? From what I hear, they are pretty non-existent. 

.. that my boyfriend work Monday & Tuesday night from 7PM-7AM and he works the same hours Fri/Sat/Sun of this weekend. The only two days he has off were yesterday and today, and I'm not seeing him at all. Bad timing or bad girlfriend? My bad.

.. that I'm really excited to not do anything this weekend. I know it's St. Patty's day, but I really think I need a low key weekend. I'm sure I'll end up making plans, but I would like to keep my commitments to a minimum. All I know is that I'll be attempting these delicious cookies that Christina posted.

.. that I'm all out out of things to say.

50/50

Lasagna was, as always, a successful dinner. 

As I mentioned yesterday, we watched 50/50. You hear Seth Rogan is one of the main characters and you immediately think that it's just going to be another one of those hilarious movies. Boy was I wrong. It was sad, like overflowing, can't control my tears sad. Sure Seth Rogan's character added a few humorous spots, but it was not what I expected. 

Joseph Gordan Levitt plays the main character, he finds out he has cancer and has a 50/50 chance to live. I won't spoil the movie for any of you who might want to see it, but it was just terrible. I felt so bad for his character the entire movie. 

All-in-all it was a great movie, I just didn't prepare myself for that type of movie.

This weekend is the much anticipated 2nd birthday of this little guy:

His actual birthday is tomorrow, but we are throwing the big bash on Saturday. My sister and I have been hard at work perfecting every single detail for his Sesame Street themed day. I can't wait to share all the exciting things we have planned for him!

Tomorrow I'm going over to have chocolate chip pancakes with him for breakfast and then after work we are taking him to Chuck E Cheese to play some games. 

We went there this weekend and this boy thought he was the only person there. He was obsessed with the mini basketball game and wouldn't allow anyone else to play. Hopefully it will be a little less busy on a Thursday and he can play as much as he'd like.

I still haven't brought myself to buy my bathing suits yet. I created my cart the other night and it was $600. Needless to say, I need to start from scratch and only get the 'necessities.'

Even worse, I got another student loan bill from a place I've never even heard of. They are saying my monthly bill is $150, not to mention the $200 I already pay. Umm, that is not feasible at this moment in time. 

What I need to do is consolidate all of them. I'm being charged interest ranging from 5.5%-6.8% all separately on 8 different loans. Consolidation advice is what I need right now. Anyone else in this boat, or has been in the past, that can offer any advice? I don't want to apply for deferment or forbearance, I just want them to all be together and only have one interest rate. I'm basically paying 40% interest right now and that just doesn't seem right to me. 

To be, or not to be

a graduate student.

Lately, I have been feeling like a need to go back to school. Nowadays I feel like a Bachelors degree is equivalent to a high school diploma. I don’t know if it’s because in my mind I could always be better, smarter, more qualified, etc… but it has been plaguing me for weeks. So, I decided to request some information from a few different schools that offer online MBA’s.

I haven’t received the information just yet but I can’t help but think about the cost of furthering my education. Lets just say, I have a pretty hefty loan from my undergraduate degree and I don’t know if I can bring myself to adding to that before paying some off.

Hmm, lots to think about. I guess I’ll take a break from worrying about it until I hear some details.